Paper Mache Treasure Chests

Treasure Hunters: Focus on snuff box auction

Inhaling tobacco, or snuff – a finely grated powder – was first used by the Arawak people in the West Indies.

It was brought to Europe towards the end of the 15th ­Century. Today, many of the boxes which held this early snuff are highly collectable.

The finest were made from ­precious materials and were among the most valuable gifts bestowed by princes and monarchs.

This summer a large collection of boxes comes up for auction. The auctioneers are calling it “the most important collection of porcelain snuff boxes ever assembled”.

This special collection of 80 boxes gives a ­comprehensive overview of the ­history of European ceramics in snuff boxes.

There are examples from all ­major factories including Italy’s ­Capodimonte, Germany’s Meissen and Fulda and France’s Sevres.

These items were considered the pinnacle of refined 18th Century court culture and the collection has been exhibited in the world-famous Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and alongside the Gilbert Collection in Somerset House, London.

The Helmut Joseph Collection is to be sold at Bonhams, New Bond Street, on July 5. The most expensive lot has an intricately-detailed ­depiction of a Dresden landscape on the inside lid, which is after an ­engraving by Bernardo Bellotto.

This box alone carries a pre-sale estimate of £100,000 to £150,000. There are also more affordable boxes, such as a small St Cloud ­example dating back to the 1730s ­(estimate £3,000 to £5,000). The entire collection is expected to fetch £800,000 to £1million.

Prolonged exposure to air causes snuff to dry out, so pocket snuff boxes were designed to be airtight containers with strong hinges. Every material has been used in their manufacture to suit every pocket of the past including mother of pearl, papier-mâché, leather and even shells. Anything featuring jewels should be appraised professionally.

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